Netflix Dropping Its Bid for Warner Bros. Will Spur Big Gains for the Streaming Giant, Analysts Say
Netflix walked away from its proposed acquisition of Warner Bros. Discovery, letting the bid lapse as Paramount Skydance raised its offer to $31 per share. The decision erased a major overhang, sending Netflix stock up about 8% in pre‑market trading while Warner Bros. Discovery slipped modestly. Wall Street analysts quickly upgraded their outlook, issuing higher price targets and reaffirming long‑term bullish views on the streamer’s organic growth trajectory.
DPI Names Sofiane Lahmar as New CEO
Digital Performance International (DPI) announced Sofiane Lahmar as its new chief executive officer. Lahmar, who joined DPI in 2010 as a senior partner, has risen through the firm’s ranks over the past decade. The board highlighted his deep client relationships...
US–Caribbean Tensions, Cuba Sanctions and the Future of Regional Tourism
At CARICOM’s 50th heads‑of‑government meeting, U.S. Secretary of State Marco Rubio emphasized Washington’s renewed focus on the Caribbean, tying security, energy and investment to the region’s tourism‑driven economies. He warned that transnational crime and energy instability threaten visitor confidence, while...
Dash0 Targets $1bn Valuation with Balderton-Led Funding Round, Reports Say
Dash0, an AI‑native cloud‑monitoring platform founded in 2023, is in talks with Balderton Capital to lead a new funding round that would value the company at $1 billion, elevating it to unicorn status. The New‑York‑based startup, which retains a strong operational...
Searchlight and Abry to Take IoT Company Kore Private for $726m
Searchlight Capital Partners and Abry Partners announced a joint acquisition of IoT platform provider Kore, taking the company private for approximately $726 million. The deal values Kore at $9.25 per share, covering all outstanding shares not already owned by the investors....
CcHUB EdTech Fellowship Returns with $100,000 Equity-Free Funding
Co‑creation HUB (CcHUB) and the Mastercard Foundation have opened applications for the fourth cohort of the EdTech Fellowship in Nigeria. Twelve early‑stage startups will receive $100,000 in equity‑free funding and a 12‑month incubation program that includes mentorship, technical support, and...
Banks Need to Rethink How They Train Staff to Fight Financial Crime
Banks are confronting a financial‑crime threat that evolves faster than their compliance training cycles. The profession suffers from a thin talent pipeline, with most hires arriving mid‑career and no standardized academic path. Current training is static, annual, and siloed, while...
GIFT City’s First-Ever IPO to Open on March 6
XED Executive Development Ltd is launching the International Financial Services Centre’s first equity IPO from GIFT City, opening on March 6 and closing on March 18. The $12 million, dollar‑denominated offering will list on NSE International Exchange and India‑INX, with a price band...
February 2026: Top Five Fintech M&A Stories of the Month
In February 2026, fintech M&A activity highlighted five marquee deals reshaping banking, asset management, digital payments, and wealth services. Santander agreed to acquire Webster Bank for $12.2 billion, positioning itself among the top‑ten U.S. retail banks. Nuveen’s £9.9 billion purchase of Schroders will...
BBC Spotlights Glasgow in Next Iteration of 'Made of Here' Campaign
The BBC has unveiled the latest iteration of its "Made of Here" campaign, this time spotlighting Glasgow. Produced by BBC Creative and the BBC Scotland Brand, the visual rollout features a striking sunset over the city alongside iconic cultural references...
No, AI Is Not About to Kill the Software Industry
The article argues that fears of an AI‑driven "SaaSpocalypse" are overstated. While large‑language models can generate code, software companies still rely on sales, contracts, and support that AI alone can’t replace. Recent stock declines at firms like Workday and Adobe...
Martijn Van Hout to Depart Canal+ After 22 Years
Martijn van Hout will leave Canal+ at the end of February, ending a 22‑year tenure that included roles as Country Manager DACH and Managing Director of Canal+ Austria. He launched HD Austria in 2010, grew it into a full pay‑TV...
Built For Retail
In 2024 paddlesports retailer Todd Frank bought inflatable canoe maker SOAR Inflatables, merging his 50‑year retail background with manufacturing. Frank leveraged his own Trail Head River Sports as the first outlet and has added three more retailers after showcasing at...
Bing Tests 2x2 Video Grid Layout
Microsoft Bing is piloting a new two‑by‑two video grid layout on its search results page, replacing the traditional vertical list view. The change was first spotted by Frank Sandtmann, who shared side‑by‑side screenshots on LinkedIn. The grid displays four video thumbnails...
Internet Service Provider Excitel’s Cofounder Vivek Raina Quits
Excitel Broadband co‑founder Vivek Raina announced his resignation, remaining a shareholder while planning to launch new ventures. The move follows the recent promotion of COO Varun Pasricha to CEO, effective March 2026. Since its 2015 launch, Excitel has expanded to...
Exclusive: Astorg’s Mid-Cap Co-Head Edouard Pillot to Leave Firm
Astorg announced that Edouard Pillot, co‑head of its mid‑cap private‑equity team, will depart the firm. Lionel de Posson, Pillot’s fellow co‑head, will assume sole leadership of the mid‑cap unit. The change follows an internal restructuring aimed at streamlining decision‑making. Astorg...
Fat Brands Says that Bond Investors Knew What They Were Getting Into
Fat Brands, the parent of Fazoli's and 15 other restaurant chains, filed for Chapter 11 bankruptcy in January 2024. Lenders have pushed for a court‑appointed trustee, alleging CEO Andy Wiederhorn misused company funds for personal loans, bonuses, and an unauthorized stock...
French Call Centers Dial M for McKinsey on AI Hit
Teleperformance announced Jorge Amar, a former McKinsey partner, as its new chief executive, replacing founder‑CEO Daniel Julien. The leadership shift comes as the French‑listed call‑center giant battles a steep stock decline and mounting pressure from artificial‑intelligence disruption. Amar’s consulting pedigree signals a...
Bord Iascaigh Mhara Invites Applications for 2026 Aquatech Innovation Studio, AquaScale
Bord Iascaigh Mhara (BIM) has opened applications for the 2026 Aquatech Innovation Studio, AquaScale, a three‑day intensive in Galway aimed at established aquatech firms ready to scale. The programme, running 26‑28 May 2026, targets a cohort of 8‑10 companies and...
The Future of B2B Marketing? Committee-Level AI Targeting
B2B marketers are shifting from single‑persona campaigns to committee‑level targeting, recognizing that buying decisions involve 5‑50 stakeholders across decision‑makers, influencers, and executors. Artificial intelligence now classifies each prospect’s role, predicts their buying stage, and orchestrates personalized messages in real time....
PE Eyes Growth in Hospice Care Platforms: 5 Deals
Private equity firms are intensifying focus on hospice care platforms, with five notable deals reported this quarter. Kinderhook, Renovus and Revelstoke are among the investors leading the charge, targeting fragmented providers to build scalable platforms. The surge reflects broader demographic...
Ontario Vows More Cash to Boost Mining
Ontario’s government is pledging additional cash to accelerate mining development, announcing C$140 million for road work to the Ring of Fire and billions for high‑capacity power lines. The province upgraded Kinross Gold’s Great Bear project under the One Project One Process...
This App Helps Employees with ADHD and Anxiety Manage Their Day
NoPlex, dubbed the “chaos management app,” is built to help employees with ADHD and anxiety organize daily tasks and reduce stress. The app offers a free consumer version and a paid, enterprise‑grade tier that employers can purchase per seat. By...
China Is Playing the Long Game over Iran
China is maintaining a cautious diplomatic stance toward Iran despite a 25‑year strategic partnership and its role as Tehran’s primary oil buyer, accounting for over 80% of Iranian exports in 2025. Beijing publicly urges restraint and dialogue while opposing Iran’s...
Covr Appoints Ryan Bivins as Head of Sales
Covr Financial Technologies has appointed Ryan Bivins as head of sales to accelerate its national distribution platform. Bivins brings over a decade of experience selling hybrid long‑term care (LTC) products at Lincoln, Pacific Life and John Hancock. He will oversee...
Why Audio and Video Is ‘Big Part’ of Politico Growth Strategy
Politico is making audio and video a core growth pillar through 2026, expanding its Playbook podcast network and launching a new Brussels edition. The company hired a deputy head of audio, introduced a Brussels Playbook podcast that already draws about...
Old Well Labs Raises Funding
Old Well Labs, a Charlotte‑based AI fintech, announced it has closed a new funding round. The round was led by Nellore Capital and included TFJ Capital, Capital Allocators, Teamworthy Ventures and Hammoud Ventures, though the amount remains undisclosed. The capital...
Mortar AI & DAIVID Partner to Integrate Creative Effectiveness Into MMM
Mortar AI has partnered with creative‑data specialist DAIVID to embed creative effectiveness metrics into its Marketing Mix Model (MMM). The integration brings DAIVID’s AI‑driven emotional analysis—covering 39 distinct emotions and predictive metrics—directly into Mortar’s MMM engine. Advertisers can now quantify...
AI Won’t Fix Your Funnel, It Will Show You Where It’s Broken
Founders expect AI to smooth sales and marketing, but it only highlights existing misalignments. When teams share goals, data, and clear ownership, AI can act as a unifying intelligence layer. The Marketing Centre’s AI Future Forum proposes a three‑pillar health‑check—decisions,...
Hybrid Working: GPA Helping Departments to Meet 60% Mandate
The Department of Business and Trade released the government’s response to the House of Lords Home‑based Working Committee’s report on the civil service’s 60 % office‑attendance mandate. It argues the rule strikes the best balance for most employees while acknowledging that...
Insperity and Workday Announce General Availability of Insperity HRScale
Insperity and Workday have launched Insperity HRScale, a unified HR services and technology platform aimed at small and midsized businesses (SMBs). The solution blends Insperity’s professional employer organization model with Workday’s Human Capital Management suite, delivering payroll, benefits, compliance, and...
On Sale Live 2026 to Bring Together the People Shaping the Experience Economy
On Sale Live 2026, a conference for sales, marketing and communications professionals in live entertainment, will be held on 15 May at a new Kings Cross venue in London. The event gathers over 250 senior decision‑makers from theatre, festivals, sport...
America’s Most Expensive ZIP Codes – 2026
The 2026 luxury housing report shows the median entry price for the nation’s top 10 % of homes steady at about $1.2 million, while the elite “ultraluxury” ZIP codes now start at $5.5 million. Newport Coast, CA (92657) displaced Fisher Island, FL to...
Apollo Marks Down Credit Fund as Loan Stress Emerges
Apollo Global Management has taken a significant write‑down on its flagship credit fund as loan‑level stress surfaces across its portfolio. The move mirrors similar distress signals from KKR’s FSK fund and Blackstone’s private‑credit vehicle, which also marked down troubled loans....
IProov Founder: Own Your Mistakes
Andrew Bud, founder and CEO of iProov, stresses that founders must own their mistakes and keep leadership clear, rather than blaming teams. He advises new entrepreneurs to prioritize solving a real market problem over the allure of technology. Bud also...
BrightSpring Health Services, Inc. Reports Fourth Quarter and Full Year 2025 Financial Results and Provides Full Year 2026 Guidance
BrightSpring Health Services reported a strong fourth‑quarter and full‑year 2025, with net revenue climbing 28% to $12.9 billion and adjusted EBITDA rising 34% to $618 million. The company turned a net loss in 2024 into a $104.8 million profit for the year and...
Neverland Promotes Laura Kinzett to CSO
Neverland announced that Laura Kinzett has been promoted to Chief Strategy Officer, succeeding Lola Neves. Kinzett, who previously led the agency’s planning department, will now steer brand‑building and client‑growth initiatives. The move reflects Neverland’s focus on data‑driven strategy as it...
India’s Fiscal Deficit Touches ₹9.8 Lakh Crore in April–January
India’s fiscal deficit for April‑January 2026 hit ₹9.8 lakh crore, about 63 % of the government’s full‑year estimate. Net tax receipts climbed to ₹20.94 lakh crore, while non‑tax revenue rose to ₹5.57 lakh crore. Total government outlays increased to ₹36.9 lakh crore, with capital expenditure reaching ₹8.4 lakh crore. The widening...
Momentum Delivers Industry-First Botless Google Meet Recording, Redefining Conversation Intelligence
Momentum announced a beta launch of its native Google Meet recording, the first conversation‑intelligence solution that captures meetings without a recording bot or third‑party sub‑processor. The same rollout introduces Autopilot for Contacts, an AI feature that extracts relationship details from...
Top Brands Face Boycott over Aggressive Email Practices
Clean Email’s 2025‑2026 report reveals that aggressive email campaigns from major brands such as LinkedIn, Uber One and McDonald’s are now the leading cause of spam complaints, eclipsing traditional scammers. While global email users are projected to reach 4.73 billion in...
Northam Starts Initial Work on Zondereinde Expansion
Northam Platinum has approved a R500 million capital programme to widen an existing exploratory hole at its Zondereinde mine, creating an option to boost PGM output beyond 400,000 ounces per year. The reamed shaft will reach 1.4 km depth, a technical challenge...
Capital Markets as Pillar for Vietnam S Double Digit Growth
Vietnam aims double‑digit economic growth, but banks face loan‑to‑deposit caps and high debt ratios, limiting credit expansion. Capital markets are positioned to provide long‑term funding, improve transparency, and diversify financing sources. By the end of 2025 the stock market topped...
‘Just because You Can Do It Doesn’t Mean You Should’: PepsiCo's Sorin Patilinet on AI and Marketing Restraint
PepsiCo’s global marketing effectiveness lead, Sorin Patilinet, cautions that the proliferation of AI tools will not automatically grant a competitive edge. While AI can generate endless creative variations, the true differentiator will be human judgment and disciplined restraint in campaign...
Vibhor Kumar: Open Source, Open Nerves
At last year’s CIO Summit in Mumbai, senior leaders from banking, fintech, telecom and manufacturing debated the growing risk profile of open‑source databases, with PostgreSQL emerging as the focal point. The conversation has moved from pure performance to trust, encompassing...
Nurminen Logistics Reports a Financially Robust 2025 Despite Weak Markets
Nurminen Logistics posted a solid 2025 despite weak macro conditions, growing net sales 4.4% to €109.4 million and delivering €18.3 million comparable EBITA. Rail became the engine of growth, with sales climbing to €78.2 million and representing 71.5% of group revenue after the...
Illumio Insights Brings Agentless Visibility and Breach Containment to Hybrid Environments
Illumio announced Illumio Insights, an agent‑less solution that ingests real‑time telemetry from Check Point and Fortinet firewalls to create live traffic maps across data‑center and cloud environments. The platform converts existing firewall data into visibility without installing software agents, extending...
In Agra, a Small Dairy Outlet Grows Around Daily Milk Supply and Local Demand
Naval Kishore, a resident of Bhagupur village near Etmadpur in Agra district, launched a small dairy outlet after leaving his family’s sweet shop. Leveraging a Rs 5 lakh loan from the Mukhyamantri Yuva Udyami Vikas Abhiyan scheme, he equipped a modest processing...
Jack Dorsey's Block Lays Off Nearly Half Of Workforce Due To AI
Jack Dorsey's Block announced a 40% workforce reduction, cutting staff from over 10,000 to just under 6,000. Dorsey cited rapid AI advances as the primary driver, saying a decisive cut now is preferable to a slower attrition. The layoffs include...
VLCC Rates – How High and for How Long?
The crude tanker market is experiencing a sharp surge, with VLCC spot hires topping $200,000 per day and one‑year time‑charter equivalents reaching $135,000. Baltic Exchange data show composite VLCC rates near $169,000 daily, while International Seaways (INSW) reported Q4 2025...
Adams Street Partners Promotes Cho to Asia IR Head as Hart Heads to Evercore
Adams Street Partners announced the promotion of Chris Cho to head its investor relations for Asia, succeeding the previous lead who is moving to Evercore. Cho brings more than a decade of private‑equity experience across the region. The appointment highlights...